Health Minister Sophie Hermans has urged the public to take precautions against mosquito bites to prevent catching West Nile virus, after the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) confirmed at least nine cases this year.
The virus had been absent from the Netherlands for several years. Speaking prior to the Cabinet meeting, Hermans stated that authorities are on heightened alert following its re-emergence, with both her ministry and the RIVM closely monitoring the outbreak.
The confirmed cases include five in Utrecht, two in South Holland, and single cases in North Holland and North Brabant. Following the death of a woman in Drenthe in early August, Hermans noted that severe outcomes typically affect those with underlying conditions, though she warned that the virus can still cause serious illness.
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